Camera IconApple’s iPhone SE is smaller than other Apple models but also much cheaper. Credit: News Regional Media

Whistleout.com.au associate editor Anula Keenan said the iPhone SE’s display was small compared with other models “but there’s something to be said for a phone you can use with one hand or shove in your pocket”.

“The actual brains of the phone are the same as the iPhone 11 and at the end of the day, the intelligence of a smartphone is the most important component,” she said.

“Not everyone will go for it, but with such great internals it’s a serious contender for most people.”

People buying new phones can pay them off over two or three years using no-contract plans, and Ms Keenan said plan pricing for the cheapest SE was similar among major providers at $21-$22 a month over three years.

“There is no downside in taking out a 36-month plan,” she said.

Phone and data service provider Moose Mobile’s CEO, Dean Lwin, said apart from improved cameras and processing speeds, there was “nothing new” in the world of smartphones so older models could be just as good.

“Most people won’t know the difference, but they want the latest,” he said.

“There’s a trend to getting a refurbished phone. If you get a good warranty, they are a good way to get a cheap phone.”

A refurbished iPhone 8 could cost about $600, Mr Lwin said.

Holding onto old phones was another money-saving strategy, he said, adding that iPhone 6 Plus models were still supported by Apple updates.